Countdown To Spring - Day Ten

By Kimberly J Epp

Spring has officially arrived.

Male mallard Duck performing mating ritual (photo by Jay Koolpix).

Seeing one of our most common waterfowl, the Mallard Duck, on a marsh or lake is a sure sign of Spring. Mallards are well known by the male (drake) which has a beautiful green head. Mallard Ducks have generally returned to their nesting grounds by mid-March.

Mallard hen (to the left) is not venturing far from her ducklings (on the rock on the right), but she did appreciate the pine nuts and oilseed I gave her as a yummy treat. Photo taken at the Wascana display pond in Regina (photo by Kimberly Epp).

Mallard ducks usually form pairs in October and November. Males court the females by shaking or flicking their head from side to side, looking over their shoulder, or raising up in the water while flapping their wings. The female encourages the male by nodding her head back and forth or by paddling with her head held low. The ducks will then remain paired up until the end of breeding season, which begins in March and lasts until May. Female ducks usually breed near the place where they were hatched. The males leave the females after the eggs are hatched.

Mama mallard with her ducklings close behind her, likely feeding on the water vegetation (photo by Krista Routledge).

Mallards nest on the ground on dry land near water or on floating mats of vegetation. Sometimes they will take advantage of nesting platforms. The female makes her nest by making a shallow depression in the moist earth. She pulls nesting material from around her as she sits on the nest. The nest is lined with soft feathers plucked from her breast. Clutch size is anywhere from one to thirteen eggs. The incubation period is 23 to 30 days. The pair may have one or two broods a season.

Mallard ducklings are precocial, meaning they know how to swim and feed right after they are hatched. Unlike song birds, ducklings are hatched fully feathered and ready to go.

Happy first day of Spring!

A group of male mallards, otherwise known as drakes. In the fall, the males have left the females and will often group up together like this (photo by Krista Routledge).

While you are spending some time at home, you can still go for a walk out in nature. Nothing lifts your spirits better than seeing the return of our Spring birds. Please remember, if you plan on feeding ducks or geese, that bread is not a good choice. Bread has no nutritional value, fills up their gullets and can kill them if it gets mouldy. Oilseed, millet, cracked corn, peas and berries are good nutritional options. Plaxton Lake or the display pond at Wascana (Regina) are good places to see/feed ducks and geese. Be aware you may end up with a group of ducks and geese following you, especially while other food is still scarce...and then you will feel just like the pied piper!